Given the unprecedented closeness of the 2000 election (less than 1% separated both candidates), the Republicans re-nominated Bush as their best choice to return to the White House after 16 years. This time free of the constraints of office -- he retired following three terms as Governor of Texas in 2002 -- Bush dedicated himself solely to raising money and criticizing Gore's "lukewarm" response to the threat of international terrorism in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Opposing him were Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and former Mayor of New York City Rudolph Giuliani (both representing the party's moderate wing); anti-immigrant Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado; former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee; and the Christian conservative activist Ralph Reed. McCain decid